On a piece of scratch paper, write
down all the reasons you think the
colonists were able to beat the
British army. At the time the British
army was the most powerful in the
world. How did our ragtag military
beat them?
SOL 6d: Colonial Advantages
Essential Question:
What advantages helped the American
colonists win the Revolutionary War?
Over a century of self-rule
 Prior to the 1760’s when King George III took over, colonists
pretty much did what they wanted and England did not
maintain control over them. They made their own laws and
were used to governing them selves.
Colonial Advantages:
 Some colonists’ defense of their own land, principles
and beliefs
* Basically, the colonists were fighting for a cause and for the
protection of their homes…the British soldiers were paid to
fight and were only following orders of the king…they did not
have ties to the land like the colonists did.
 Additional support from France
• Without the help of the French, the colonists probably would
not have had the man power to win the war.
 Strong leadership.
 Colonial armies were commanded by George Washington and
other strong leaders who made wise decisions that helped them
win.
 Home court advantage
* Colonists knew the land better than the British army